The Wilderness Outside Book One - The Fire Omen
by theflyingjay124
Summary: First book of WO. With a threat growing in the deepest parts of the forest, the warrior code has been shifted from the balance of harmony. When an apprentice overhears an 'insane' medicine cat recite the Fire Omen, she doesn't realize she has overheard one of the darkest secrets of Starclan. Now, it's up to a new set of littermates to face the darkness that threatens their clans.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The she cat tossed and turned, the terror gripping her like the jaws of a rabid fox. _"Fire...everything gone."_ She mumbled in her turbulent slumber. Russetpaw's ears raised in alarm as she passed by the medicine cat den while returning from an evening patrol. Nonetheless, her first instinct was to fetch help, the curiosity of what she could be saying in such a ghastly terror urged her to go inside.

 _"_ _As the leaves fall… a great heat will sweep through the forest."_ Meowed the medicine cat, desperately pawing at the air, as if being tortured. _"A fire of anger will unveil...a spark."_ She screeched the last word, startling Russetpaw. _"Kin unmask kin, and a great menace will fall."_ The last words she spoke came out in a hoarse whisper, chilling Russetpaw to the bone as the medicine cat falls silent, as if at peace once more. Russetpaw backs out of the den, a mortified expression on her face as the words of the medicine cats omen ring in her head and haunt her dreams that night.


	2. Fire Omen: The Flock of Birds

Chapter One

"Hold still, Ravenkit!" A black she-cat pounced on the tom-kit, batting his ears. Ravenkit mewed, stumbling and falling on his back. Hawkkit tried not to mewl in frustration. Her littermates, Ravenkit, Owlkit, and Heronkit, hadn't opened up their eyes yet, and couldn't play with her. Of course, she had just opened her eyes, but… that was different.

Hawkkit shook out her frizzy kit pelt. Her long tail's tip was a dark brown, matching her rare dark brown eyes, which were almost black. Her mother, a ShadowClan queen by the name of Aspenflower, had told her that she had never seen another cat with Hawkkit's brown eyes, save for Aspenflower's mother, who Hawkkit had gotten the eyes from.

Hawkkit would have been the only she-kit out of all her littermates, but when the medicine cat thought that Aspenflower was done kitting, her sister Owlkit came out. She batted Owlkit's pelt, a soft gray color muddled with brown, and she twitched in her sleep, rolling over the white and gray fur of Heronkit. Heronkit's paw swiped blindly in his sleep, catching the muzzle of Ravenkit, whose black fur blended into Hawkkit's. His eyes shot open, and Ravenkit's green eyes fixed on Hawkkit.

"Ravenkit! You finally opened your eyes!" Hawkkit exclaimed, jumping on her paws. Like a pattern, her other littermates' eyes popped open, and she was given the attention of Owlkit's yellow eyes and the blue of Heronkit's.

"Now we can go out and play!" Hawkkit meowed. Suddenly, a paw caught her face and she was pushed down into sleeping position.

"Hawkkit, it is the middle of the night." Came the grumbling voice of Aspenflower. "You should be sleeping."  
Hawkkit let out a grumbling mewl, but realized how tired she was. _I can play in the morning, I guess._

She could have sworn she had only closed her eyes for a few seconds before she opened them again, and looked at the light filtering through the woven tendrils of bramble.

"Can we go outside?" Hawkkit questioned her tired mother, who mumbled something which she took as a yes.

"Come on, guys!" She meowed and her littermates followed her. Being the smallest of the kits, Hawkkit felt she had something to uphold. She led the kits outside of the nursery.

 _Wow…_ The camp was even bigger than she could have ever imagined! She gazed wide-eyed at all the huge warriors that strode passed her, pondering at the muscles and wondering if she would ever grow that big. She guessed not, because all the she-cats looked smaller than all the broad-shouldered toms.

"Well, I see we have a new warrior!" A voice meowed at Hawkkit. She turned abruptly to see a huge tabby tom pad towards her. She came up to halfway up his leg, and she promised herself she would grow.

"Well, hello there." The friendly tom blinked. "I heard there was a dark-eyed kit in the litter, so you must be Hawkkit!"

Hawkkit nodded. "I'm Wasprunner. I was best friends with your father when we were apprentices. He's a great deputy. I'm glad to see that Eaglefeather's blood has been passed on! I bet you'll inherit a lot of his strength."  
Hawkkit gave her chest some licks, embarrassed by Wasprunner's flattery. Her father was the deputy of ShadowClan, so there was a lot to uphold. Finally, her three other littermates tumbled out of the nursery. Hawkkit was ashamed when she realized she had forgotten about them, and that she should have stuck with them, but she had been so sure they had come out with her.

"And these must be your brothers and sister, I see." He inspected them all closely. "All different eye colors. But you, Hawkkit, have the rarest of all." Wasprunner gazed at the kit. "I assume your mother already told you about your eyes…?"  
"Yes," Hawkkit mewed, straightening up. "Our enemies will fear me, and when they see my eyes, they'll run!" With that, she pounced on Owlkit's hindquarters, and her sister squealed, bouncing up and down to knocked her off. Hawkkit rolled off, then leaped again, pinning him down.

"ShadowClan is the best clan! Do you agree, foul WindClan warrior?" Hawkkit hissed.

"Never!" Owlkit growled, and with that, Heronkit joined as a WindClan warrior, and Ravenkit fought on her side.

"ShadowClan wins!" Hawkkit meowed in a happy triumphant voice, when the two _WindClan_ warriors were pinned down. Wasprunner chuckled.

"The other Clans stand no chance when you four grow up." Wasprunner meowed, and Hawkkit stood up straight with pride.

"I want to explore the whole camp!" Owlkit declared, and scampered off to the other side of the clearing, to the dens where, outside, cats were sharing tongues and eating.

They stopped at a den, and Hawkkit took a twhiff of the smell, and cringed. It was sharp, and tickled her nose. She definitely didn't want to be in there.

"The medicine cat den," Owlkit mewled in awe. Hawkkit shot her littermate a confused glance.

"You like the smell?" Heronkit asked, crinkling his nose.

"Don't you?" Owlkit shot back, puzzled. She stepped into the den, and Hawkkit and her brothers had no choice but to follow.

"What are you doing here?" A teasing purr echoed across the den. The four kits turned to see a beautiful cream furred she-cat with white dapples pad towards them. Hawkkit stepped forward, pushing her littermates behind her, ready to say it had been her idea to come in.

"Hawkkit, right?" The she-cat meowed. "And these kits must be Owlkit, Heronkit, and Ravenkit. I am Blossomwing, the medicine cat. I helped your mother during her kitting."  
Hawkkit nodded for no reason. This cat did not seem like a threat, and so she flicked her tail. It might have just been dismissed as nothing, but the three other kits knew it meant the threat was over and they could come forward. Though they had never left the nursery, it was obvious to them what the other meant.

A black tom slid into the den, a wad of herbs lodged in his mouth. He plopped it down in a pile of similar herbs.

"Shadepaw!" Blossomwing called. "Come say hi to the kits!"

Shadepaw trotted over. "I'm the medicine cat apprentice, Shadepaw." His eyes drifted elsewhere for a little. "You must be Aspenflower's kits, yes?" They all nodded. "I thought so."

"Good thing you found some marigold, Shadepaw. We were running unusually low." She turned to the kits and added, "Chewed into a poultice, the petals, leaves, and juices stop bleeding, infection, and inflammation of stiff joints!"

 _Thank you for that useless piece of information._

"You might want to go back to the nest, kits," Shadepaw meowed. "For kits first out of the nursery, you spent a long time out here."  
Hawkkit wanted to protest, but she felt tired, because most of her days were of napping. "Yeah, we'll be going now."

They stumbled across the clearing to the nursery. Hawkkit noticed that Owlkit was lingering behind.

"Owlkit, hurry up!" Hawkkit mewed impatiently.

"I…" The kit seemed lost in thought. Hawkkit nudged her.

"Did all those herbs muddle your mind?" Hawkkit joked. Owlkit whipped around to fully face her sister, yellow eyes glowing.

"I want to be a medicine cat!" Owlkit meowed.  
Hawkkit was shocked. "A medicine cat? But then who will I fight my battles with? I want to fight with my sister, not my brothers!"

Owlkit shook her head sadly as Hawkkit went on. "And plus, there is already a medicine cat apprentice! Shadepaw!"

At the mention of Shadepaw, Owlkit's ears drooped. "I know, but I really… I can still be a medicine cat. Three medicine cats isn't bad!" Her golden eyes pleaded for Hawkkit to understand, but she didn't.

"Are you a coward? Is that why it is this way?" Hawkkit yowled, and some warriors turned their heads.

"Why are you two fighting?" The meow of Wasprunner sounded behind her. Hawkkit just flicked her tail and walked in silence back to the nursery.


	3. Fire Omen: Owlpaw's Destiny

Chapter Two

"Shadepaw and Blossomwing must be visiting the Moonpool right now," Owlkit whispered with remorse, Hawkkit ignored her. Owlkit sighed.

 _She will never understand the pull that I feel to this job. I need to be the medicine cat. StarClan, please help me. I want to help ShadowClan in this way._ As Owlkit sent her prayers up to StarClan, she felt a warm breeze waft quickly through her fur. _It must be a sign!_

Joy filled her, ears to tail-tip. She wriggled with happiness, refusing to believe her destiny was anything other than being a medicine cat.

Owlkit was stilled posed with a problem. Not the fact that there was already another medicine cat apprentice, but the fact that her sister didn't support her. Owlkit always saw her sister as a leader, and Owlkit wanted to be her medicine cat. But didn't she need her closest littermate's support?

Shaking her fur, she thrust the thoughts away. Owlkit slid out of the nursery, and walked over to the prey pile. For a few moons she had been eating prey. _One more moon, and I'll be an apprentice._ For some reason, that didn't strike the usual happiness she saw in to-be apprentices' eyes.

"I need to catch Blossomwing and Shadepaw's eyes. I need to impress them," she murmured. No one heard her. An idea flashed through her mind, quicker than a mouse.

 _That's it! I'll learn the herbs before they come back!_ Excitement buzzed through her as she scampered off to the den. Owlkit slid in quick enough that no one noticed her. She opened her mouth to taste the scents that flooded her, filling her with delight.

 _Now… what was that herb that Shadepelt brought in a few moons ago? Ah, yes! Marigold!_ Owlkit followed her nose to the pile of yellow flowers and breathed them in. _In a poultice for bleeding, infection, and stiff limbs._

She tried to remember other herbs. _Wait!_ She reached far into her memory and saw the image of Blossomwing telling Shadepaw about juniper berries. She took a sniff of the blue purple berries, and sighed, her mind wandering. She shook her head. _Juniper berries for… bellyaches!_

A thought flashed through her mind. _Roseberry!_ She remembered how yesterday, when walking past the elder's den, she had heard Mousepelt try to convince the cranky she-cat to tell Blossomwing about her bellyache. The stubborn elder had refused, of course.

 _Maybe I could…_ Owlkit shook that thought away. _I'm not a medicine cat!_

But she couldn't bear to think about Roseberry in pain. But how would she convince the elder to eat it? Her, a kit that wasn't skilled?

Owlkit narrowed her eyes as they fell on the prey pile, and let out a slow purr.

"Hello, Roseberry!" Owlkit piped. "Hello, Mousepelt!"

Roseberry and Mousepelt were the only elders in ShadowClan at the moment, and Owlkit plopped a mouse each in front of them. She was careful to push the one she had stuffed with berries towards Roseberry. The elder finished her mouse in hasty bites.

"Eh? What is this I taste in my mouse?" The she-cat growled after the mouse was gone. Owlkit racked her mind for an excuse.

"Oh… um… I thought that… um…" Owlkit thought hard as she felt the elders' stares on her. "I assumed that if your name was Roseberry, you would like berries!" Just the type of thing a kit would do.

The elder snorted. "Well, it wasn't that bad, but next time, just the mouse will do." Roseberry waved her off, and Owlkit scampered as quick as she could out of the den.

Pride warmed her pelt. She had heard an immediate change after she tricked the elder into eating the berries. The rasp in the elder's voice hadn't been so apparent. _I helped someone!_

Owlkit padded towards the tiny creek that flowed into the medicine cat's den to wash off the remaining scent of juniper berries. She didn't want the medicine cats to know that without asking, she had treated a patient. But Owlkit padded right into a heated conversation with Blossomwing and Shadepaw.

"But what if the kit ate it? It won't do any harm, but as much as she took would cause-" Blossomwing cut off as she stared at Owlkit. Her eyes were cold chips of ice.

"Well, I assume you've come here because you stuffed yourself with juniper berries and now you have a bellyache?" The angry medicine cat growled. Owlkit shook her head.

"Then why do you have the scent of juniper berries all over you?" Shadepaw meowed.

"Roseberry had a bellyache so…" She trailed off, and looked up to see Blossomwing's expression turn to bewilderment.

"She had a bellyache? How did you know to treat it?"

"I overheard your conversation," Owlkit murmured. She felt a tail on her flank, and she gazed at Blossomwing. The elder she-cat spoke. "Follow me."

The three cats padded to the elders' den.

"Roseberry," Blossomwing meowed, "Did you have a bellyache before?"

The elder shot an angry glance at Mousepelt. "I told you I didn't need any help! Why did you tell?"  
"He didn't tell," Shadepaw replied for Mousepelt. "Owlkit overheard you talking about it."

"Did she now…" The elder trailed off. "Well, it's gone now."

"We know." Roseberry cocked her head in surprise. "Owlkit treated it with a salve of juniper berries. Did you know that?"

"No, I… wait!" She narrowed her eyes at the kit. "That mouse! You stuffed that mouse with those berries."

The medicine cat and her apprentice exchanged baffled glances, then Blossomwing turned to look at the kit.

"Stuffing prey with herbs… well, it isn't the first time used, but I definitely never used that!" Blossomwing exclaimed, a tone of astonishment in her voice. Owlkit felt her fur become hot with nervousness. Shadepaw looked at the ground with shame, as if disappointed he had been outdone by a kit.

"I didn't want Roseberry to suffer so I did it, I'm sorry if I upset you." Owlkit muttered, her ears laying flat.

"Quite on the contrary Owlkit, you've impressed me." Blossomwing dipped her head to the kit in thanks, her tone becoming slightly raspy. "If only Shadepaw could step up a bit," She mewed, her eyes shifting to the side, narrowing into slits.

"Blossomwing, I-" Shadepaw fussed, his paw stomping into the dirt in frustration.

"Hold your temper Shadepaw, you'll set a bad example," Blossomwing stated, tail whipping into Shadepaw's muzzle as she pads out of the den.

Shadepaw glared coldly at Owlkit before following behind his mentor. Owlkit whimpered, her tail lowered to the ground as they pass.

"Don't mind Shadepaw, he has always been as sour as mouse bile." Roseberry chuckled, her tail flicking at Mousepelt.

"You should be more appreciative Roseberry," Mousetail mewed in a snide tone. Owlkit purred, knowing she had done something right.

"It was no trouble, Roseberry." She dipped her head respectfully to the elders and scurried outside. _Starclan, thank you for this chance._ Owlkit gazed up at the sky with gratitude.


	4. Fire Omen: Distance

Chapter Three

Hawkkit watched Owlkit scamper out of the nursery, trying not to hiss in disgust. Why did her sister need to be a medicine cat? _I need to show her what she will be missing out on._

Hawkkit prowled behind her sister, fluffing out her fur and looking innocent every time a warrior turned their gaze to her.

Coming closer, Hawkkit saw Owlkit, and nearly gagged at where she was going. _The medicine den!_ Hawkkit tried not to let out an irritated growl. _She can't… I'm losing her…_

"Can I help you, Blossomwing?" The warrior-like she-kit struggled not to claw her own ears when she heard her sister's pleading voice. Suddenly, a sneering voice echoed behind her.

"Well, hello, _Small_ kit." Hawkkit turned and confronted the ever nasty gang of littermates. Pondpaw, Crowpaw, and Foxpaw prowled towards her, smirks plastered on their faces. Hawkkit narrowed her eyes. She was the runt of the litter, smaller than everybody else. The warriors tried to keep it from her, but she wasn't mousebrained.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite _little_ kit," Pondpaw meowed, sneers laced in her voice. Playing it cool, Hawkkit decided to reply.

"Oh," she smirked, "I wasn't surprised it was you guys. I could have heard you from the other side of the forest. And you're… apprentices, so you should have mastered that by now, am I right?" The three bullies growled in unison.

"We're almost warriors, kit, and you just seem to shrink every day," Crowpaw hissed. The tiny kit forced a _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Ooh, warriors! Let me guess your full names… hm, I'm thinking Crowfood, Pondscum, and Foxdung, don't you think that's good?"

Crowpaw lashed out with a paw, and Hawkkit ducked. It wasn't that hard, she was short anyway, without ducking the paw would have still gone over her head.

"Kit, _if_ you become an apprentice in time before we become warriors, we're going to ruin your life!" Foxpaw growled.

"You guys just have to be _in_ my life for it to be ruined," the cheeky kit called after them as the three whipped around and stalked away. A new voice entered the picture. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

Hawkkit mentally chided herself, calling her a mousebrain. She had totally forgot about her littermate, and now Owlkit's yellow gaze was staring right at her face.

"Did you follow me?" Owlkit questioned again, her tone soft. Hawkkit groaned inwardly. Her sister's voice had already taken a soft tone like Blossomwing when she was coaxing a little kit to eat something.

"No, I didn't follow you!" Hawkkit lied, and frustration crept into her voice.

"You don't like the medicine den. Why else would you come?" Hawkkit growled, raking the earth with her tiny claws. Owlkit looked at her with pity.

"I know you don't want me to-"  
"You can't!" Hawkkit burst out. "Blossomwing's still alive!"  
"So? There can be three medicine cats, that's even better!"

"B-but," Hawkkit stuttered as she thought of what to say.

"But what?" Her sister's gentle voice didn't soothe her, it just drove Hawkkit crazy.

"Well, how do you know you'll even be a good medicine cat anyway?" Hawkkit hissed, and Owlkit reeled back, hurt sharpening in her light honey eyes. Owlkit turned around, and walked into the putrid den without saying another word.

Hawkkit didn't feel any remorse for what she had said to her sister. In fact, when she played the scene in her head again, it didn't even seem bad. She had just asked a question, hadn't she? _It's not fair. I don't want her to be a medicine cat._

"Sweet? What's wrong?" Hawkkit turned and gazed at a broad-shouldered tom, his pelt swirling with the colors gray, brown, and white. He looked familiar, and Hawkkit had to go with her heart.

"Father?" She whispered, and Eaglefeather nuzzled her cheek.

"Yes, sweet, what is wrong?" He echoed, licking the top of her head. She gazed up at him, and sighed.

"Owlkit wants to be medicine cat." She watched her father's gaze light up with joy, and she knew he wouldn't understand what she felt.

"That's great! Now, you think you won't be as important as your sister, yes?" Hawkkit tried to deny it but her father cut her off.  
"You will always be important, Hawkkit, don't you worry about that!" He gave her one last lick on the cheek, then bounded off to perform his deputy duties. A sigh of disappointment slipped from the kit's mouth, and she drifted into her own mind. _Why do I feel like this? Is it wrong to begrudge Owlkit because of the role she chooses to play?_

"Now, Owlkit, I'm just going to be going to get some catmint, don't worry. It grows at the border between us and WindClan. Don't follow me, you're still not allowed out of camp." She watched Owlkit wave goodbye with her tail to her future mentor, and Hawkkit turned, not wanting to look any further.

 _I have my brothers._ But they didn't really seem to understand her like Owlkit did in their fleeting moments where they weren't so distant. _I'm only a kit… I can't snap bonds so quick with my sister. I just… can't._

Hawkkit tried to shake herself out of such deep thoughts, but she couldn't stop her own mind from flowing like the creek behind the nursery. _That also flows behind the medicine den._

Hawkkit closed her eyes, trying to focus on the cool breeze that combed through her pelt, and the fresh taste of pines in the wind. Out of nowhere, a piercing shriek shattered the peace of the clearing. A cluster ofcats ran out of the dens to meet some cats that scampered out of the woods. Hawkkit tried to push her way through, but the way was barred.

Wails of dismay echoed through the cats, and Hawkkit took advantage of her size and slid through the gaps between the tightly packed cats. She raced forward, and saw her sister break free of the ranks at the same exact time, her paws barely grazing the ground as she let out an upset yowl. Owlkit's nose buried into the once beautiful dappled pelt of cream. Now, long claw marks were scattered all over the she-cat's body.

Blossomwing was dead.


	5. Fire Omen: New Apprentices

Chapter Four

"Wake up." The hoarse mew of Owlkit broke through the barriers of sleep, shaking Hawkkit awake. Hawkkit started to yawn, and stopped halfway through, popping up in the air wildly.

"It's our apprentice ceremony!" All the kits squealed except for Owlkit, who, after the death of Blossomwing, started to act older and more distant. Aspenflower woke up immediately, and stroked the kits with her tongue, rasping it over their ears and down their pelts.

It had been three moons since the death of the medicine cat, and Hawkkit was happy to state that the three bullies were still apprentices. Hawkkit had also gotten a little bigger, but was still very small.

"You're going to be an apprentice?" A small black and russet she-kit squeaked as she tottered up to Hawkkit, followed closely by a brown tom-kit.

"Yes, but I will teach you some moves, don't worry Morningkit," she said, addressing the she-kit. The tom stepped closer. "And you too, Oakkit," Hawkkit added, purring. The kits danced around, and Hawkkit heard Russetstar's summoning yowl, and bounced to her ceremony.

"Today is a very important day, the making of apprentices!" A roar of approval greeted her words. "Hawkkit, step forth."

Legs suddenly shaking, she stepped up, gazing around at the ground, and relaxing when she saw her parents looking at her with pride.

"Hawkkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hawkpaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior." Russetstar gestured to a cat in the crowd, and a great tom, possibly the biggest in the clan, stepped out, his orange fur gleaming.

"Sunspirit, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Mousetail, and you have shown yourself to be fierce and courageous. You will be the mentor of Hawkpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Hawkpaw surged forward, and her nose collided against Sunspirit's.

"I promise to be the best apprentice," she whispered, and his eyes twinkled with kindness. "I know"

Shadeheart lept up on the rock, and his eyes swept across the gathered crowd. "As you know, my mentor has departed to StarClan. But all is well," he added, as confused glances were shot from cat to cat. "I have chosen Owlkit for our next apprentice. She is now Owlpaw, and our next medicine cat." He bowed and touched noses with Owlpaw.

Heronpaw was given Wasprunner, and Ravenpaw was apprenticed to Petalsong. Hawkpaw bounced around her mentor, who, despite of his size and looks, was soft-hearted.

"What are we doing first?" Hawkpaw questioned. Sunspirit gently pinned her tail down to stop her from jumping. "First we're going to calm down. Then, we can go see the territory."

That was almost enough to make Hawkpaw start jumping again, but she restrained. Shaking out her fur, she sat down and breathed in and out.

"Good," her mentor murmured. "Now, let's go." He beckoned with his tail for her to follow, and she had to sprint just for her small legs to keep up with his long ones. He leaped gracefully over a tree trunk, while she had to scramble over it.

"Come on!" Sunspirit meowed, but he could tell something was wrong.

"Will I ever grow?" Hawkpaw whispered, and Sunspirit cocked his head in surprise.

"Of course you will!" He exclaimed. "You have more room to grow, too. Who knows, you might even outgrow me!" He purred, and Hawkpaw's spirit slowly lifted.

"What are we waiting for?" She purred, racing forward. "I want to see everything!"

The pines cast beautiful shadows for Hawkpaw to blend into, and she danced into them, weaving between the trees. Suddenly, her mentor's teeth fastened around her scruff, and she was tugged back, just as a roaring beast raced right past her.

"Watch where you're going!" Her mentor growled. "You almost got killed."  
"What was that?" Hawkpaw whispered, her voice thin with fear.

"That was a monster, and this is the Thunderpath. The monsters can't leave the Thunderpath, and you should never cross one without a warrior with you. And even then, you should have a mission."

"Why?" Hawkpaw asked, her curiosity breaking away fear.

"What can you smell? Besides the Thunderpath," Sunspirit added. The new apprentice took a good, long sniff. Something other than the Thunderpath tickled her nose. She looked at the expanse of close trees and undergrowth, and she crinkled her nose.

"I smell something yucky." Hawkkit licked her nose, an old habit. Sunspirit nodded.

"That's ThunderClan, and that's why we don't cross without permission. ThunderClan may not follow the warrior code, but we are honorable warriors, and will only cross as a mission or in dire need." Sunspirit gave her a brief nod. "Now come on, we must get on."

"What are we going to do now, Sunspirit?" Her mentor looked at her with surprise at her question.

"We've seen almost all of the territory, and you're still not tired?" Hawkpaw shook her head, and he sighed. "I guess I could teach you some hunting."

Hawkpaw nodded eagerly and followed her mentor.

"Ok, now get into a crouch like this." He demonstrated, and Hawkpaw copied. "No, tuck your paws in- there you go! Perfect!" His praise warmed Hawkpaw's pelt. "Now creep forward. Make sure your tail isn't brushing the ground. Watch what you're stepping on! Good!" Hawkpaw bounced up.

"You want to try that for real?" Sunspirit asked.

"Of course I do!" Hawkpaw exclaimed, and then she heard a bird call, and dropped into her crouch. A fat bird landed on a branch of a tree. The pine's branches were closely knit together, and Hawkpaw narrowed her eyes. Sunspirit crept closer to her.

"I haven't taught you how to climb pine trees-" He was interrupted when his apprentice dashed for the tree. Hawkpaw memorized the tight path she had seen through the pines, and she ran up the tree, using her claws and momentum to propel her. She kicked off and the alarmed bird started to fly, but she jumped from the branch the bird was sitting on, and snapped the bird's neck, landing gracefully on the ground.

"How was that?" Hawkpaw asked, not wanting to have done anything wrong. Her mentor stared at her with awe.

"You managed to perfect tree hunting without any help at all! That is a rare skill, indeed." Sunspirit gave her an approving nod.

On the way back, Hawkpaw caught a fat squirrel and a pigeon. When the two came back to camp with her catches, everyone asked her about her catches and if she made them by herself.

"On your first day, too!" Aspenflower meowed, nuzzling her cheek. Heronpaw and Ravenpaw looked on with jealousy, but they didn't stay that way long, coming forward to congratulate her too.

Hawkpaw let out a groan because, just as she had settled down to eat, Pondpaw, Crowpaw, and Foxpaw caught her eye and started to strut towards her.

"Well, I heard you caught something, Smallpaw," Pondpaw sniffed.

"Yeah, I did. And you can stop calling me that," Hawkpaw snapped, throwing her head back to look at the bigger apprentices.

"Nah, you're still small. Your prey probably thought you were a squirrel, and that's why you caught it. Everybody knows you make too much noise to every be much of a hunter," Foxpaw meowed, his tone condescending.  
"You make too much noise, period," Hawkpaw muttered. But, once again, the three ignored her and went off to do their _important_ apprentice duties.


	6. Fire Omen: New Life

Chapter Five

Owlpaw followed closely behind Shadeheart, who didn't utter so much as a simple meow to her since the apprentice ceremony. The sad apprentice didn't care much. She just wished that Blossomwing was also here to mentor her as well. The kind cream she-cat would have taught her so much, and Owlpaw looked doubtfully at the grumpy black tom leading her towards the medicine den.

They had said that big rogues had killed the former medicine cat, and by looking at the bite marks on the throat and the sliced open belly, Owlpaw had easily known they were right. The new apprentice cleared her throat.

"So, what are we going to do now?" She meowed quietly, and Shadeheart didn't as much as turn to answer her question.

"Don't think that because you are a medicine cat apprentice, you won't have to do regular apprentice duties. In fact, you will have to take care of the elders more than what is normal for warrior apprentices. You haven't chosen the easy life, you know," he added, and Owlpaw growled to herself.

"I know, I'm not mousebrained," she snapped, but received no reply from her mentor. They padded inside the medicine den, and finally Shadeheart turned to face her.

"I am aware you know some herbs, yes?" The tom asked, cocking his head.

"I do."

"Well, that's not enough!" A sudden snarl erupted from Shadeheart. "Whatever you think you know, you must learn again. Have you ever thought that you might have accidentally snuck _deathberries_ into Roseberry's prey?" Owlpaw shook her head, and the tom's eyes narrowed.

"That's right, you just wanted to impress-" He cut short, gagging a little. Owlpaw understood. He was just upset, not grumpy. His mentor's death must have hit him hard. She rested her tail on his flank, and surprisingly, he didn't shake it off. He breathed in and out.

"Okay, I will teach you the herbs. This is alder bark. Used for toothache." Then he started to rattle off a list of herbs, how to use it, and what to use it for. Owlpaw's head spun with the new information.

At the end of the long list, Owlpaw was sent out to help with Mousetail's eyes. "And what does he need?"

"Um… Celandine? For weak eyes?" She questioned.

"Good." Though his praise was brief, it warmed Owlpaw to her bones. Taking a few leaves of celandine in her mouth, the content apprentice padded across the clearing to the elder's den.

"Well, hello, new medicine cat!" Mousetail purred, and Roseberry brushed her tail over Owlpaw's flank. She spit out the celandine, and took a singular leaf.

"This is for your eyes, Mousetail," she explained, and Mousetail widened his eyes as Owlpaw squeezed juice in them. He blinked a few times.

"They feel better already! You'll make a great medicine cat," the elder tom purred, and Owlpaw dipped her head before racing back to her den. There, she almost ran into Shadeheart, and she was glad she didn't.

"Now, I'm going to show you all the best spots for picking herbs." A shiver ran through her pelt.

"Are you… are you going to show me catmint?" She meowed fearfully, and Shadeheart shot her a confused glance.

"Yes, why? There's nothing to be afraid- oh." Shadeheart looked at her with complete understanding. "I know that was where _she_ got ambushed, but don't worry, we'll take some warriors." He beckoned with his tail to Cloverleaf, a dark tortoiseshell queen, and to the tabby brown tom Halfberry, and they followed after the two medicine cats.

"So, Owlpaw, can you find any herbs around here?" The medicine cat tom questioned, and Owlpaw opened her mouth to taste the air. She smelled something, and followed her nose to a patch of yellow flowers. "Marigold!" She exclaimed.

"Good. And what is it used for?" The 'paw thought for a heartbeat.

"Infections? You chew it into a pulp, right?" Shadeheart nodded.

"Good, you're doing well. But," he added, "You still have much to learn. No cat is too wise to hold more information. Even StarClan." Owlpaw dipped her head in recognition of his wise words.

 _I thought he was just a grumpy furball, but…_

Owlpaw followed dutifully behind Shadeheart, and Cloverleaf and Halfberry watched the impending trees closely, taking their jobs seriously. The apprentice felt a chill run down her spine and all her fur stick up as they reached the border. The two warriors perked their ears up, fur bristling as they stepped protectively in front of the medicine cats. A rustling in the bushes made the apprentice crouch low to the ground in fear.

Suddenly a fierce she-cat sprang from the bushes, her claws waving wildly as she snarled at the group. Halfberry growled and slashed at her muzzle, but Cloverleaf pushed him aside.

"Stop!" The dark tortoiseshell meowed. Halfberry looked at his Clanmate with distrust.

"Cloverleaf? Do you know this-" Shadeheart started.

"No!" Cloverleaf interrupted. "I don't know this she-cat. But I would have thought that you of all cats, Shadeheart, could smell the scent of a nursing queen." She looked back at the rogue she-cat, whose light sand fur stood out in the darkness. Her blue eyes shone as she cocked her head.

"You won't hurt my kits? And my pregnant sister?" She asked softly. Halfberry dipped his head.

"We would never. I'm sorry for attacking you, but one of our Clanmates was killed here, so…" he trailed off.

"Oh, you're one of those Clan cats!" The she-cat exclaimed. She stepped up face to face with Shadeheart. "I was looking for you!"  
"Why?" Shadeheart questioned. The queen looked down at her paws.

"I was… I was kicked out of my home, and I am looking for another one. Could you possibly…?" She didn't finish her sentence, but it was clear what she was going to say.

"Kittypets have no place in our Clan!" Halfberry said, and the she-cat snarled.

"I'm no fat kittypet, relying on those stupid Twolegs for everything!" She snapped, and Cloverleaf ran a tail down her back, then looked at the rest of the patrol.

"We can't turn down kits, we have to talk to Russetstar." The others exchanged glances, then Shadeheart dipped his head. "Alright. What is your name?"  
"My name is Scorch."

Another she-cat stepped out of the undergrowth, her belly large, and obviously close to giving birth. The tortoiseshell's amber eyes were narrowed, and she stepped closer to Scorch, who laid her tail on her patched flank.

"And this is my sister, Echo." Echo dipped her head sharply, and Owlpaw could tell that the sister was highly protective of her unborn kits.  
Owlpaw followed Scorch into the undergrowth where her kits were. One was an exact copy of the loner she-cat, one was blueish gray she-cat, and the other was a dark tabby tom.

"They're beautiful, Scorch," Owlpaw whispered. "What are their names?"

The pretty loner shot her a glance. "If I'm allowed to stay, I assumed their names will be different, but this is Desert." She flicked her tail on the one that looked just like her. "This is Lake." Her tail rested on the blue kit. "And this is Ember." She gazed lovingly on her only tom-kit. Owlpaw nodded.

"Those will be made into fine warrior names." She gently took Ember in her scruff, while Echo picked up Lake and the loner queen took Desert. The band of warriors with Scorch and her kits headed towards the camp.

"They're loners!"  
"You can't let them stay!"

Owlpaw wished she could clap her paws over her ears. The howls of objection rang across the camp, and the two loners wrapped their tails around the kits as the warriors hissed insults. Russetstar held up her tail.

"I cannot refuse kits, and we must take them in. However," the leader added, looking straight at the loners, "If you and your kits are not able to learn our ways, you will not be permitted to stay here." Scorch and Echo dipped their heads in understanding.

"They are now part of ShadowClan, and will be treated as such." Even though most of the warriors were disgruntled about the new Clanmates, all of the queens readily welcomed the sandy she-cat and the tortoiseshell to the nursery. The tiny kits were awake and mewing pitifully, and Owlpaw watched Scorch settle down in the nursery.

"Is your milk running well?" Owlpaw asked, tilting her head.

"Yes, I am fine," the queen answered warmly. "Thank you for carrying Ember here, and for not attacking us."  
"Oh, I am a medicine cat. My job is to heal," Owlpaw stated, then turned to Echo.

"May I check if…?" Owlpaw trailed off, and Echo nodded briefly. Owlpaw rested a paw on the expecting queen's flank. Echo was very round, and Owlpaw could tell she was close to giving birth.

"Can you tell how many kits I'm going to have?" Echo asked, and a flicker of uncertainty and fear flashed in her amber gaze. Owlpaw purred sympathetically.

"No, I cannot, and don't be scared! I've heard that giving birth may hurt, but afterwards all you can think is your happiness! You forget all the pain!"  
"But that doesn't really help when you _feel_ the pain," the queen muttered, and Scorch rested her tail on her sister, her gaze telling Owlpaw that she could handle it. Owlpaw walked calmly out of the nursery.

"How are the new cats?" Shadeheart inquired as Owlpaw stepped in the medicine den.

"Oh, they're great. Echo's pretty fearfully about her kitting, but… she'll be fine." Shadeheart rested his tail on her back for a moment, then walked away.

"Oh, and also," he added, not turning back. "Don't get too comfortable. We're going to the Moonpool."


	7. Fire Omen: Initiation

Chapter Six

"It's beautiful." Owlpaw's whisper rang across the dark cavern as the moon reached its peak and shot a beam of light at the pool. Two other medicine cats, Vixenpelt and Graysky, were already waiting there. Behind Owlpaw, Sedgecloud rushed in, followed closely by her apprentice Larkpaw.

"Sorry we were late," she huffed, "Petalkit got tangled in a thorn bush, poor thing."  
The other medicine cats mewed their sympathy before settling down in front of the Moonpool.

"Owlpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

"It is," Owlpaw breathed.

"Then come forward." Owlpaw stepped forward. Shadeheart looked upwards, his flank brushing hers.

"Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will."

Owlpaw took a few laps of the water, almost jerking back as a reaction to the coldness, but then dreams took her.

 _A storm raged around her, whipping her fur into a frenzy as an intense heat blazed under her paws. Owlpaw tried to screech, but no words left her mouth. She silently begged for help to no one, but suddenly, a black she-cat rose out of the flames, silhouetted by the shadows as they danced across the floor._

" _A great will fall!" The cat screamed, and suddenly all the flames fell and she was in a green meadow, staring into familiar eyes._

" _Blossomwing!" Owlpaw cried happily, bowling right into the she-cat. Blossomwing purred, and wove around Owlpaw._

" _My sweet Owlpaw. Do not be afraid of what awaits you. You were born with a special destiny, and your Clan needs you. Now go."_

" _Wait, Blossomwing, wait!" The former medicine cat grew fainter and fainter, and Owlpaw spiraled out of her dream world._

Owlpaw gasped for breath, her claws raking against the stone floor. She looked around at all the medicine cats, who were still asleep and looked peaceful. _So it was just me, then?  
_ Slowly, the medicine cats began to wake up. Shadeheart saw the apprentice's expression, and brushed up against her.

"Bad dreams?" Owlpaw nodded, and opened her mouth to spill everything, but Shadeheart's black tail blocked her mouth.

"We don't share what we see with the other medicine cats. Tell me later," he whispered, and he led the apprentice out of the cave.

"You must be close to kitting, Ice."

Owlpaw was sitting in the nursery, chatting with the two new queens. Ice had become more friendly, and the medicine cat apprentice loved to spend time with the two sisters.

"And your kits must be close to six moons, right?" Scorch nodded.

"Just a moon away!" The happy queen exclaimed.

"But, Scorch, I expect you know that you will have to train as well?" Scorch dipped her head.

"Yes, I know. Where I came from, I was trained too, but I need to learn the ways of _this_ Clan." Scorch looked determined, and Owlpaw brushed her flank gently, careful not to disturb the kits.

"And I think you won't get your name immediately… you'll have to prove you're a warrior." Scorch nodded again. Owlpaw was happy that the pretty she-cat was so understanding.

Cloverleaf walked in, carrying two mice. She dropped them in front of the queens. "Here you go! Can't talk more, I have to go on a patrol!" She meowed apologetically. Other than Owlpaw and Deerfoot, the mother of Morningkit and Oakkit, Cloverleaf was the two loners' best friend. She always brought them food, and never neglected them.

"I have to go too, Scorch. Duty calls," Owlpaw meowed.

"I understand," the queen replied.

"Bye Scorch, bye Ice!" The pregnant queen murmured something. It sounded strangled. Owlpaw reeled around and stared at the queen. Scorch was looked at her sister.

"Is it time?" Scorch asked. Ice muttered something back. Scorch looked at Owlpaw calmly. "Go get Shadeheart. She's having her kits."

Owlpaw ran with all the speed of StarClan. She ran right into Shadeheart, who hissed. "What now?"  
"Kits… Ice…" Owlpaw's meow came out in tired breaths. Shadeheart's eyes widened, and he raced across the clearing. Owlpaw slowly followed.

"Don't worry, Ice, just breath in and out. In and out." Shadeheart was meowing with a kindness Owlpaw had never heard before. "Good! You're doing well! Oh! I think one is coming! Push!"

Ice strained hard, and a wet lump of fur slid out. Shadeheart pushed it to Owlpaw. "Lick its fur the opposite way to get it breathing." Owlpaw did as he said, and the cream she-kit let out a cry.

"Another one!" A rare small tortoiseshell tom-kit slid out, his tiny paws kneading the air. He let out a barely audible squeak. _He looks just as small as my sister when she was born,_ thought Owlpaw.

"The last one is coming! Hold on, Ice!" Shadeheart said, and with a final gasp, another tom came to life, his gray pelt covered with his kit sac and blood.

"Good job, Ice," Shadeheart congratulated. "Two toms and a she-cat." Ice said nothing, only wrapped her tail around the kits and watched them with pools of love in her eyes.

"They're beautiful," Scorch whispered, and looked up at the two medicine cats. "Thank you for helping my sister."

"I've already picked out names. I have to add 'kit' to the end, right?" Ice's meow finally joined the conversation. Shadeheart nodded, and the three cats turned their full attention to the queen. She tapped the she-kit gently with her tail. "This is Sweetkit." She lapped at the cream kit's head once, and the small she-cat purred.

The queen's tail moved to the gray tom. "This is Stormkit."

"And what about the last one?" Scorch asked, referring to the very tiny tom. "Tortoiseshell toms are very rare, I've heard," the dark she-cat added. Ice dipped her head in agreement.

"This is Smallkit," Ice whispered. "But, no matter his size, I know he'll achieve great things."

"Yes," Shadeheart agreed, "He will."


End file.
